Chain link or coupling.



C. BRYANT.

CHAIN LINK 0R COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1906.

Lflflflfi 1 Q1 Pa nted Aug. 15, 1911.

5 negate;

fiqhomf'itmay concern."

. i,t -kno wn that I. CiI.\iiLi;s BRYANT, a StIlJjQCt ofthefKing ofGreat Britain, residat 1 Drakefield read, Balhain, London, l1a'\'einvented newaud useful Improveinents in Chain Links or Couplings, ofwhich the following a specification;

The object of iny. invention is to provide a chain linkwhich is formedof a single piece of wire, or red, bent into the form of a double loop,and having each of the end portions constructed to detachably engagetheloop at the opposite end of the link, so that it can be readilydetached, to open the link at either end for connection with other linksor devices.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a linkembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an'edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is aview sin'iilar'to Fig. 2, of a link in which both theend lockingportions are bent in the same direction. Fig. 4 is an edge view'partlybroken away showing another slight modification of the link.

In the form of link shown in Figs. '1. and 2 the link is formed of asingle piece of metal wire or rod, bent into'double loop form by bendingthe end portions in opposite directions, the loops being designated l5and B" respectively. For convenience of description I will term theportion ot each loop adjacent to the end of the said wire or rod theouter arm? of the loop and the portion adjacent to the centerof the wireor rod the inner arm of the loop. in bending the wire or rod the innerarms of the loops form continuations of each other and merge directlyinto each other. liach end of the rod or bar'is provided with a portionwhich I term the lOt'h end which is constructed to detachably engage theinner arm of the loop of the opposite end of the. link. withoutsurrounding the. same. 'lhese lock ends are designated at C andrespectively and they may be. formed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by simplybending the end portion of the rod or bar into an open hook form whichwill give it a secure hold upon its inner arm of the opposite loop, but.at the same time permit it to be readily disengaged, by sliring'ing theouter loop arm of which it forms an integral part, and without bendin;the lock-end itsell, as will be clearly apparent from the drawing. 'lherod or lltll' 'lCHAR-ILES BRYANT, or Lennon,- ENeLAIiD. I

learning]: QEFICEF';

' 01min LINK on eoUPLInG.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 15, 1911 Application medFebruary 20, 1908. serial No. 302,073.

is not necessar j' v It is" obvious that either or both of-the lock endsof the link can be'readilv removed from thef'p'ortions which theyengage, thus opening the'linlcat either or both ends. to facilitate theinsertion of another link or -to enable the link -..to be connected"with any other device, and thereafter the lock ends can be replaced inengagement, and this operation can be performedrepeatedly withoutalfecting the shape or integrity of the link. l I

In Figs. 1 and 2 each of the lock ends C, C engages the inner arm of theloop at the opposite end of the link, and lies within a recess E (or Eformed between the inner ofmetal ofa springy nature, although this andouter arms of the loop as there shown.

T term this recess the bight of the loop, and each of the lock ends inthis form of the link engages the bight of the loop at; the opposite endof the link. In Figs. 1 and 2 the lock ends are bent in oppositedirections with respect to the plane of the link. Fig. 3 shows a linksubstantially like that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the excepl'ion thatthe lock ends are bent in the same direction. .It will be seen that inboth these forms oflink, while the lock ends are detachable and do notsurround the inner arms of the loops which they engage the longitudinalstrain upon the link will merely cause the lock ends to press tighterupon the engaged parts and tighter into the bights of the loops, thusgiving the link the required strength. In Fig. 4 I have shown a form oflink in which one of the lock ends C is pro- .vided with a groovedportion G to enable it to tit upon, without surrounding its contiguousloop arm, and the lock end C is shown asprorided with a head orenlargement ll for the same purpose, this being merely illustrative ofvariations in the form of lock ends within the scope, of my inventiori.I

have been t'ormcd from pieces of rod or wire by bending them into doubleloop form and permanently securing the end portions by bending themaround portions oi said loops.

am aware that links of various kinds propr'ised, prior to my presentinvention, to

from which the link is formcdmay be made formga link-by bending a singlepiece of rod or bar into double loop form and providing the end portionswith means for detachably engaging portions of the loops or fordetnchubly engaging the inner arm of the loop at-the opposite end of thelink, or for detnchnbly engaging the loop at the opposite end of theloop, and lying in the bight of said loop, and these construct-ions Iclaim my invention. Having described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent- A link comprising a continuous wire0r rod having its end Jortions bent in opposite directions and overzipping the central pori vided with locking portions, each of thesaidlocking portions det-nchably engaging the 5 central portion, and lyingrespectively with- 5 in the angular bight formed by the opposite l endportion overlappingthe central por- 5 tion, the said locking portionsextending less than three-fourths way around the central 1 portion ofthe wire or rod forming the link, whereby the greater the longitudinalstrain on the link, the more firmly the'locking por-i I tions aregripped and wedged in the angular bights of their respective loops.

CHARLES BRYANT.

\Vit-nesses JOHN E. BOUSFIELD, l C. G. REDFERN.

